National Nurses United

NewsBriefs:2 4/24/08 1:19 AM Page 10 NewsBriefs Chicago Nurses Continue Work after Startling Victory over Public Health Governance na/nnoc registered nurses and organizers in February won a stunning, eleventh-hour victory over the revenue and reform battle fought on behalf of Chicago public health by one lone vote cast by a brave Cook County commissioner. Now the nurses move on to ensure that the new independent governance by a trusteeship restores the patient care that Cook County needs and that had been ravaged by budget cuts in 2007. On Feb. 29, as the clock ticked relentlessly toward midnight, county commissioners were deadlocked. Board President Todd Stroger held firm to his demand for a sales tax increase few in the county would abide while Commissioner Larry Suffredin argued for his new governance amendment that would remove the Bureau of Health Services from a sphere of political patronage and decline to its only real hope for survival. Suffredin would not support any revenue increases unless the governance issue was also addressed. Board members knew that the healthcare and well-being of more than 900,000 uninsured Cook County residents was at stake. But unless they reached a budget deal on the 2008 county budget by midnight, the county would be forced to shut down all but essential services and the chances for any meaningful compromise would be dead. The fight was not new. CNA/NNOC nurses and Chicago staff had rallied, argued, and lobbied for change for months as part of a local, emergency coalition composed of community groups and activists who knew that unless the battle was won against patronage, Cook County public health system would be brought to its knees by more budget cuts and possible closures. Though hopes grew dim, CNA/NNOC stood firm and held two rallies within the final three days of the county's budget meetings. "Finally [Commissioner Suffredin] had a C way to do it," said Betty Kennedy, an emergency room RN at Stroger Hospital. "Suffredin sacrificed his no tax pledge, and maybe even his own political future, in order to get that trusteeship, while forcing Stroger to halve his tax increase." Kennedy explained that the trusteeship paves the way to critical federal and state funding—the only sustainable way to fund a public healthcare system like Cook County. She added that RNs are looking forward to the day when the Bureau of Health Services can again deliver community healthcare through an expanded clinic network on the north, south, and west sides of Chicago. In the next few weeks, CNA/NNOC and the local coalition will work to make sure those appointed to the new trusteeship board are free of the political pressures that have driven past decisions. The board will have among its first responsibilities replacing Dr. Robert Simon who had served as the chief executive of the bureau since being appointed by Stroger in 2006. Simon was never shy about his disdain for registered nurses, including his comments to the press that "82 percent of what a nurse does in the emergency room could be done by a medic or a guy with a high school diplo- ILLINOIS 10 REGISTERED NURSE W W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G ma with just a few months of training—at a markedly reduced cost. That would eliminate a huge number of registered nurse jobs in this country. Most of them are overpaid for what they are doing." So when the county slashed its budget by 18 percent in 2007, Simon was not a friend to nurses. He cut frontline nursing positions, and CNA/NNOC responded by calling for Simon's ouster. It took more than a year, but when the dust from the budget fight settled in early March 2008, Simon was on his way out. He announced his resignation shortly after the budget deal was reached, and many believe that with professional management and trusteeship oversight, Cook County can look forward to good news from its Bureau of Health Services—for patients and for nurses too. But the work is not done by a long shot. Already there are moves to gut the trusteeship amendment and there are those who would use the trusteeship to protect their political positions rather than the county's best interests—and the interests of patients and RNs. CNA/NNOC will continue its staunch advocacy during this critical transition period and into the future to ensure that political forces do not usurp the positive progress achieved over the past several months. —donna smith APRIL 2008

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